BEREA, Ohio — Brian Hoyer got his master's degree in playing quarterback with a chip on his shoulder as three-time Super Bowl-winning New England Patriots superstar Tom Brady's primary backup from 2009-2011.

No surprise, then, that since that May night when the Cleveland Browns drafted the former Texas A&M star 22nd overall, the undrafted Hoyer has been the anti-Manziel with his resolve to work Brady-style to keep the high-profile rookie at bay.

Hoyer's very Brady approach paid off when coach Mike Pettine announced Hoyer the winner of his summer-long competition.

Brady has always used his sixth-round draft slight as a 199th overall pick in 2000 as motivational fuel. The same goes for Hoyer, who wasn't drafted out of Michigan State.

"Tom was important to my upbringing and becoming a professional quarterback, being able to see how he did it day in and day out,'' Hoyer told USA TODAY Sports. "I really credit a lot of my time being around Tom to where I am as a player right now.

"I focus on what I need to do to be the best quarterback for this team and you avoid all the hype and the noise. That's something I learned in New England from Tom and the sign on the locker-room door from Bill Belichick, 'Block out the noise.' "

Hoyer received 37 congratulatory texts from his wife, friends and family after Pettine told Hoyer and Manziel the news separately Wednesday.

Hoyer didn't even have time to see if Brady was among those who texted him, but proudly noted his Patriots mentor was among the first to congratulate him last year when he replaced Brandon Weeden as Browns starter in Week 3.

The most rewarding text Hoyer received? That came from his wife, Lauren. She sensed her husband, who conceded, "I spent my entire career looking over my shoulder,'' was clenched, putting added pressure to lead a touchdown drive as he struggled with his trademark anticipatory accuracy during his preseason competition with Manziel.

"I know I can be a pain in the ass because I tend to hold things on the inside and she can tell it and she's like, 'What's wrong?' And I said, 'Nothing,' '' Hoyer said.

"You just try to blow it off because you don't want it to affect your personal life.

"We're all human. And she's been such a rock for me to where if I do feel I need to talk, she'll listen. And if not, she lets me be and for the moods that I had, that was the best way she could support me.

"She just said she was happy for me and 'Thank God, everything worked out the way it did — just move forward.''

That missing timing for a starter who went 3-0 before shredding his right knee last Oct. 3 figures to return given how Hoyer will now get the bulk of first-team practice repetitions Wednesday, Thursday and come Saturday night's preseason home game against the St. Louis Rams.

"I'm a rhythm-and-timing thrower,'' Hoyer said. "What I do well is throw with anticipation.